Wednesday, July 27, 2016

DNC: Reactions to President Obama's speech

I REALLY ENJOY listening to skillful speakers who turn it into an art. Wednesday night I heard three - perhaps four - speeches from the Democratic National Convention. Billionaire Michael Bloomberg masterly destroyed Donald Trump and his supposed business acumen and exposed his hypocrisy toward immigrant workers.Vice President Joe Biden did a fantastic job, occasionally returning to his Bidenisms as only he can, taking his message to the vast middle class of America, clothing his anger in rightousness. Middle-class Joe is Everyman, someone angry white males, Trump's supposed demographic, can relate to. Biden could have been a Knute Rockny firing up his team.Vice President nominee Tim Kaine surprised us and just as we were getting used to his loose, conversational style, he came on like gangbusters attacking, mocking Donald Trump. And when he effortlessly slipped into Spanish, I could see all the Latino voters moving towards the Democrats.But President Barack Obama was the clincher. He is a master orator, building up to a crescendo of emotion and then calming down, waiting until the cheering stopped and everybody was leaning forward to hear what he had to say, then speaking softly and then sweeping up to flourish, speaking louder to be heard over the applause. It was fun to watch and listen. What was he talking about? Sure he used the speech to attack Trump, but what stuck with me is he reminded us of all the good people who make up our country and the values they held. Trump is not America. Trump is not even the Republican Party. He made me proud to be an American. I'll savor his last remaining days in the White House.